Indian authorities in Telangana state have reportedly detained four Christians for handing Gospel tracts during an Easter procession even though they have obtained permit to distribute flyers.
According to World Watch Monitor, the four Christians were detained on Easter in the capital city of Hyderabad after the local leader of a Hindu nationalist group complained that they attempted to convert uneducated people to Christianity.
The Christians, who are members of New Blessings Church, were charged with "hurting religious sentiments" before they were released on bail on Tuesday.
The Christians' lawyer, Sudheer Kumar claimed that the complaint against his clients was made only after the Christians filed a complaint against members of Hindi Jana Shakti for allegedly harassing them when they were handing out the tracts.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhujanga Rao confirmed to reporters that the Christians had permission to distribute flyers during the Easter procession.
"On the eve of Easter, yesterday, Christian brethren celebrating Easter in Dayarguda area were opposed by some men from distributing gospel tracts," he said on Monday, according to World Watch Monitor.
One female church member explained in a video that the participants in were singing hymns and distributing tracts before some of them were attacked by Hindu nationalists.
"When we were about to wind up and return back to the church premises, in the last moment, they [Hindu Jana Shakti members] attacked four Christians, and we went running back to their rescue," the unidentified woman said in the video, as translated by World Watch Monitor.
"[The men] physically attacked the Christian youth and misbehaved with the women, and even tried to apply vermillion [a cosmetic powder] to the pastor's wife," she added.
World Watch Monitor noted that vermillion is a powder that is traditionally applied by Hindu men to their wives. Other church members have decried the assault, saying: "How dare you promote a religion! Will you also accept if we apply vermillion [a Hindu custom] to your forehead?"
The woman further narrated that she tried to show the permit to distribute tracts to the assailants, but they tore the document and attacked the young Christian men in the group.
The church leader, who only wants to be identified as Andrew, said that the Christians submitted a complaint to the police, but the assailants tried to get ahead of them so they would be the first to file a complaint.
Three members of Hindu Jana Shakti, including its leader Lalith Kumar, were reportedly arrested.
A local source alleged that a First Information report was lodged against the Christians due to pressure from several politicians affiliated with the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Pastor Andrew has said that he had received death threats from members of Hindu Jana Shakti and he suspects that his phone may be tapped. He said that he is "very scared" and fears that the group might attempt to kill him "soon."
India has been ranked by persecution watchdog group Open Doors as the 11th nation where Christians experience the most persecution. The group notes that one of the main sources of persecution in the country comes from Hindu radical groups such as the BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Shiv Sena and Vishya Hindu Parishad (VHP).
